Three Strikes: Black, Male, and Floridian.
As a 19year old Black male, my life prospects don’t look to bright- statistically speaking. My life span is 7.1 years shorter than any other cohort-group and I’m 5 times more likely to die of HIV/AIDS. That’s just health related. When it comes to education there is a 40% chance that I will drop out of high school. If I’
m lucky enough to make it out of high school, the chance of me going to jail is much higher than me going to college. Can my future get any bleaker? Well in the state of Florida it can.
A recent article published in my hometown newspaper, Sarasota Herald Tribune, exposed the stark disparities in sentencing for Black youth. 84% of juveniles sentenced to life without parole for non-homicide offenses in Florida were African-American. When I read this startling statistic my eyes almost jumped out of my head. It’s not that I didn’
t believe it. The criminal justice system has historically been as fair to Blacks as Fox News is to reporting. What bothered me the most was that when I sat back and thought about it, I had not heard any policy makers in my home state address this issue head on.
We all know that Blacks make up a disproportionate number of inmates in prison, but why is this? Why is it that Black men are 12 times more likely than White men to be imprisoned on drug charges? Why is it that a Black male in Florida is facing a life sentence for a non-homicidal home invasion he committed when he was 17? The juvenile justice system was set up for rehabilitation and protection of children. Now legislatures and Americans treat the juvenile justice system as a way to “protect communities” from the very same juveniles we are supposed to be helping, not punishing. The criminal justice system’s goal is to punish the guilty, but this is what we are doing to juveniles. While I understand that juveniles are just as capable of committing heinous crimes as adults; why is it that Florida sees no hope for rehabilitation? Last Spring, the Florida legislature struck down a bill that would allow juvenile sentenced to life in non-homicidal cases a chance for parole. Many of the young folks that this decision affects are Black.
Instead of throwing every Black juvenile delinquent in prison for the rest of their life for committing a crime, why not give them the rehabilitation they need in a juvenile facility. For all the “fiscally conservative”
legislators out there who whine about the lack of solvency in the state budget, it would be a smart idea to reduce the population of our prisons. It costs more money to keep a child incarcerated than it does to send them to college. Why not implement community oriented programs to deter kids from committing crime?
In November, the Supreme Court will hear two cases regarding the life sentencing of juveniles. Both of those cases deal with two young men from Florida. Both young men are Black.
Hi Edward,
I am a silent fan of your posts. I like them the most (not trying to be the gay-groupie), because I always learn something that I didn’t know, or I get to see a different perspective from my own. The latest one is another great example of things I was unfamiliar with especially considering that “84% of juveniles sentenced to life without parole for non-homicide offenses in Florida were African-American.” Although I agree and there have been tons of studies done to show disparities (e.g., in sentencing), I want to take a moment to assert that some folks are actually in juvenile detention for good reason. I want to go further to say that I am not comfortable with the language you use to describe situations.
Edward you describe things as a complex matrix in which an individual is subject to forces outside his/her control. So much so in fact that black males end up (magically) with “7.1 years shorter” life span, “5 times more likely to die of HIV/AIDS,” “40% chance of dropping out of high school” and the probability of “going to jail is much higher than going to college.” To me when I read this, I immediately think of how did the individual’s decisions (read: willful actions) advance him, her or the person through a system that is biased. We must acknowledge that people’s actions often times create the opportunity for people to experience biased systems. Regardless of a crime’s severity a crime was committed and to the degree that it can be punishable and not violate the 5th amendment I am usually for the sentencing. Now in terms of rehabilitation that is up to the individual state. I think states have to make the decision as to what should be done with their jails and state prison criminals. In terms of federal prisons, I do believe that there should be a national standard procedure, but for the states it could be seen as best practice (because poorer states probably can’t afford it).
To be honest, I am less interested in the “after-[crime]-care.” I think what should be implemented is some kind of prevention-plan that targets at-risk youths. I think those youths should be cleaved from their environments (i.e., removed from their parents care (loss of parental rights), whatever housing condition, and removed from their peer group(s), if not determined by a specialist to be protective factors).
Hi Edward,
I am a silent fan of your posts. I like them the most (not trying to be the gay-groupie), because I always learn something that I didn’t know, or I get to see a different perspective from my own. The latest one is another great example of things I was unfamiliar with especially considering that “84% of juveniles sentenced to life without parole for non-homicide offenses in Florida were African-American.” Although I agree and there have been tons of studies done to show disparities (e.g., in sentencing), I want to take a moment to assert that some folks are actually in juvenile detention for good reason. I want to go further to say that I am not comfortable with the language you use to describe situations.
Edward you describe things as a complex matrix in which an individual is subject to forces outside his/her control. So much so in fact that black males end up (magically) with “7.1 years shorter” life span, “5 times more likely to die of HIV/AIDS,” “40% chance of dropping out of high school” and the probability of “going to jail is much higher than going to college.” To me when I read this, I immediately think of how did the individual’s decisions (read: willful actions) advance him, her or the person through a system that is biased. We must acknowledge that people’s actions often times create the opportunity for people to experience biased systems. Regardless of a crime’s severity a crime was committed and to the degree that it can be punishable and not violate the 5th amendment I am usually for the sentencing. Now in terms of rehabilitation that is up to the individual state. I think states have to make the decision as to what should be done with their jails and state prison criminals. In terms of federal prisons, I do believe that there should be a national standard procedure, but for the states it could be seen as best practice (because poorer states probably can’t afford it).
To be honest, I am less interested in the “after-[crime]-care.” I think what should be implemented is some kind of prevention-plan that targets at-risk youths. I think those youths should be cleaved from their environments (i.e., removed from their parents care (loss of parental rights), whatever housing condition, and removed from their peer group(s), if not determined by a specialist to be protective factors).
Thanks for following my posts. Although you and I may have different backgrounds one thing we share in common is the fact that we both attend or attended The University of Chicago. That has not played a negligible role in our cognitive development nor our outlook on life. Attending an elite university or having the courage to apply to such an august institution lies in a certain confidence or foresight we have about future. We subsequently averted falling into the categories either by or own agency or we’ve been lucky not to have been forced into sub-par school at a young age, or we haven’t been in an environment that was crime-ridden, or we’ve just been flat out lucky. However, there are people who are upstanding individuals but have born into situations where this is a high likelihood for illicit behavior. At a young age many folks are desensitized to ant-social behaviors and they become socialized in that way.
I understand that criminals should be punished. But where is the humanity in the disproportionate confinement of a sub-group of people without understanding the root of the cause. Moreover, why are people retroactively punished in our society. Paying a debt to society for your indiscretions should be done in a correctional institution. Many times when people are released they are so disenfranchised when it comes to housing( not including sexual offenders), jobs, and education that they become recidivists. The best way to incite “anti-social” behavior is by social isolation.
Thanks for following my posts. Although you and I may have different backgrounds one thing we share in common is the fact that we both attend or attended The University of Chicago. That has not played a negligible role in our cognitive development nor our outlook on life. Attending an elite university or having the courage to apply to such an august institution lies in a certain confidence or foresight we have about future. We subsequently averted falling into the categories either by or own agency or we’ve been lucky not to have been forced into sub-par school at a young age, or we haven’t been in an environment that was crime-ridden, or we’ve just been flat out lucky. However, there are people who are upstanding individuals but have born into situations where this is a high likelihood for illicit behavior. At a young age many folks are desensitized to ant-social behaviors and they become socialized in that way.
I understand that criminals should be punished. But where is the humanity in the disproportionate confinement of a sub-group of people without understanding the root of the cause. Moreover, why are people retroactively punished in our society. Paying a debt to society for your indiscretions should be done in a correctional institution. Many times when people are released they are so disenfranchised when it comes to housing( not including sexual offenders), jobs, and education that they become recidivists. The best way to incite “anti-social” behavior is by social isolation.
Hi Edward,
I really like that wording “an august institution.”
To be sure and beyond peradventure, there are “upstanding individuals” born into bad situations and to parents of low or no means. This is where I cite “The soft bigotry of low expectations: Part I Violence:”
“Inevitably, we are forced to create a new kind of logic (read: standard) other than the soft bigotry of low expectations. The need for a new logic (read:standard) becomes crystal-clear when we consider that Blair Holt’s last act was protecting a female companion on the bus next to him, whereas Michael Pace (read: the gang-banger) last act as a non-incarcerated hoodlum was poppin’ caps on a CTA bus killing an unintended person. If we settle for the low expectation that human agency and self determination is trumped by environment and external forces than we can’t ever hope to explain how the same community produces a Blair Holt, or a Michael Pace.”
Edward, this quote exemplifies my belief in what it is going to take to create equity.
There comes a point where culpability can not be placed on the complex matrix of forces that create criminality. If we look closely at urban poor neighborhoods, there are as you and I both believe “upstanding individuals” that are fully functioning law-abiding Americans with/out jobs. There are young black folks with “fros, cornrows, or dreadlocks” doing their non – illicit or criminal – thang. At the same time, there are laws that (un)intentionally impact black communities more so than others. Our job as people of means (when possible) is to work toward laws that are equitable for the common (read: majority of folks’) good.
What that looks like for me is that many community members want tougher laws (i.e., for the black youth drug dealers and gang-bangers to be off the street for as long as possible) and not just against corrupt police officers. Surprisingly in my mere three years of work in the heart of one of the poorest neighborhoods in Chicago (North Lawndale), we find community members are more anxious about ending crime and locking up bad folks than the staunchest republicans. I was so surprised to find that so many community members want tougher laws. But I realized why….like Fallon quoted (albeit in a different context) folks are getting “sick and tired of being sick and tired” of Violence. People like Blair Holt would be better off if the Michael PaceS of the world were removed. **My first interest is to always protect the community from violent members that would harm it.**
On to rehabilitation and to be clear, this is a worthwhile goal. Unfortunately, I said earlier that I am not interested so much in “after – crime – care,” but what I meant is that “after – crime – care” although important and a worthwhile endeavor is not “getting to the root cause.” As a result, I am more interested in preventative measures for those at-risk. I have formed a number of solutions in my head that I believe would be great starts to eradicating the “culture of – welfare, entitlement and – poverty.” At this point in my ‘career’, I am still figuring out the kinks in my solutions privately.
Hi Edward,
I really like that wording “an august institution.”
To be sure and beyond peradventure, there are “upstanding individuals” born into bad situations and to parents of low or no means. This is where I cite “The soft bigotry of low expectations: Part I Violence:”
“Inevitably, we are forced to create a new kind of logic (read: standard) other than the soft bigotry of low expectations. The need for a new logic (read:standard) becomes crystal-clear when we consider that Blair Holt’s last act was protecting a female companion on the bus next to him, whereas Michael Pace (read: the gang-banger) last act as a non-incarcerated hoodlum was poppin’ caps on a CTA bus killing an unintended person. If we settle for the low expectation that human agency and self determination is trumped by environment and external forces than we can’t ever hope to explain how the same community produces a Blair Holt, or a Michael Pace.”
Edward, this quote exemplifies my belief in what it is going to take to create equity.
There comes a point where culpability can not be placed on the complex matrix of forces that create criminality. If we look closely at urban poor neighborhoods, there are as you and I both believe “upstanding individuals” that are fully functioning law-abiding Americans with/out jobs. There are young black folks with “fros, cornrows, or dreadlocks” doing their non – illicit or criminal – thang. At the same time, there are laws that (un)intentionally impact black communities more so than others. Our job as people of means (when possible) is to work toward laws that are equitable for the common (read: majority of folks’) good.
What that looks like for me is that many community members want tougher laws (i.e., for the black youth drug dealers and gang-bangers to be off the street for as long as possible) and not just against corrupt police officers. Surprisingly in my mere three years of work in the heart of one of the poorest neighborhoods in Chicago (North Lawndale), we find community members are more anxious about ending crime and locking up bad folks than the staunchest republicans. I was so surprised to find that so many community members want tougher laws. But I realized why….like Fallon quoted (albeit in a different context) folks are getting “sick and tired of being sick and tired” of Violence. People like Blair Holt would be better off if the Michael PaceS of the world were removed. **My first interest is to always protect the community from violent members that would harm it.**
On to rehabilitation and to be clear, this is a worthwhile goal. Unfortunately, I said earlier that I am not interested so much in “after – crime – care,” but what I meant is that “after – crime – care” although important and a worthwhile endeavor is not “getting to the root cause.” As a result, I am more interested in preventative measures for those at-risk. I have formed a number of solutions in my head that I believe would be great starts to eradicating the “culture of – welfare, entitlement and – poverty.” At this point in my ‘career’, I am still figuring out the kinks in my solutions privately.
The male sexual problem, or sexual dysfunction, refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the man or couple from experiencing satisfaction from the activity. The sexual response cycle has four phases: excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution.
The male sexual problem, or sexual dysfunction, refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the man or couple from experiencing satisfaction from the activity. The sexual response cycle has four phases: excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution.
The effect of surgery on the ability to reach an erection is connected to a man’s age and whether nerve-sparing surgery was done.
The effect of surgery on the ability to reach an erection is connected to a man’s age and whether nerve-sparing surgery was done.